A Thousand Words
by CaramelFrap
Summary: Ephram comes back from Julliard for the last year of Highschool. After all that happened last year, he believes this time through will be simple. But this is a Everwood. Nothing is simple.
1. Default Chapter

Everwood Fan Fiction: A Thousand Wishes

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

Author's Note: Read & Review. I'm still living off a 10-hr internet free service, if I don't update within a week, (which I will try to update at least once a week) it means I have used up my internet service. And I will update the first day of the following month.

Chapter One: Ephram

---July 25, 2004---

They were picking him at the airport, returning from New York City. The city whom he's been in for the past six weeks. Having a wonderful and yet painful time, reliving everything he had trying to get out of his mind for past two years.

He tried to keep his mind occupied; making friends and focusing his art: piano. That was the reason he was going to the Julliard Summer Program. They told him he wasn't good enough. But what made him irritated was that, they said it wasn't his music that wasn't good. It was everything else. His posture; a habit of slouching when playing. His fingers not curled to achieve perfection. After all this, the school saw talent and gave him a chance. Of course, he took it. Music was his life. The only thing that made him happy at the saddest times. The one there thing which connected to a person he lost; his mother.

Though there was one other, but that's gone too.

---

Now he's waiting in line for them to stamp him back to Denver, Colorado. (The government always wanted to keep track of their "people".) He passed gates and waited at the meeting spot. He looked around and felt something missing. There wasn't nearly have the people here in the airport than in New York. He laughed at the thought. In a strange way he couldn't believe he missed it. Everything was loud and everyone was pushing. And it was only few a weeks that he's been there. _It grew on me_ he admitted, _again_.

Moments later from behind he heard an recognizable voice; Delia's. "Ephram!" By the tone of her voice, he knew she was excited. "You're back! I couldn't believe I missed you when you were gone, but I was."

Andy jumped in. "It's true," he said smiling.

"I missed you, too. I got you a present." He pulled out a book from his large black bag.

She screamed. "You got me a baseball hat!"

"Do you like it?" She nodded, while putting on her new hat. She wasn't wearing one that day. Ephram pulled out another gift from his bag and gave it to Andy. "This is for you. I hope you enjoy it, Dad."

Andy looked at the book, it read _Seven Steps to Become the Perfect Dad. _Looking up, he said. "Aw, you shouldn't have."

---

The sun had begun to set when they arrived. He stood in front of his house. It took awhile to realize he wasn't going to up a elevator to his Nonny and Grandpa's apartment. He enjoyed living there, but hearing his two grandparents telling him to stay in New York was more than enough to come back here. Even though it isn't exciting, it's silent, even with Andy; he's _only_ one person.

Immediately he went to his room. In some sense he missed it. Messy, filled with comic books, both American and Japanese Anime comics; an endless collection. His clothes on the floor from weeks ago still laid on the floor. "I thought it would be nice if I kept your room like this. Keep it feeling like home." Andy walked in the room, looking at the ground. "I love this part of the room, where there's a row of your sleeping clothes leading up to your bed. Very smart."

"Yeah, thanks."

"You settle in and I'm going to get started on dinner."

"Dad?"

"When I said get started on dinner I meant order take-out."

"_That's_ my dad." And Andy left. Ephram held out his cell phone, whether to decide if he will call Bright and tell him he came back. _I'll call him tomorrow _ he decided. He looked around his room. _I need to get Nonny over here, pronto. Get this mess cleaned up._

Dinner as before was not entertaining. It was definitely different down here he thought glumly. _Every night was like a party._ Nonny always cooking something festive in her kitchen. Grandpa telling him medical stories of his past. It wasn't he called fun, but he never really had the time to enjoy before. Now he had the chance. Sometimes Ephram even found the stories interesting, it even fascinated himself when he realized this.

When he wasn't at with him he went out with the friends he made. It was weird he made friends so fast here than in New York. Wasn't the music or just the city. At times it didn't matter. Talking to people other than your old grandparents was just fine.

Ephram had few glances at his old friends, but never took initiate to confront him he came for summer school. It would just make it too hard to leave New York City again.

_...Arg! I'm thinking about New York ...again _And he would shake his head of thoughts. There was nothing wrong about New York. He just wasn't ready to face it, but when he decided to go to Julliard, it was only because of his Art. Nothing more.

---

It's been a month later, and Ephram's home alone with Delia while Andy is at work. "Delia! I'm getting breakfast! What do you want."

"I don't care!" Her voice came from upstairs, obviously too busy to come downstairs.

"Fine, then you eat what I am getting." And he left for his car. Outside in the cool wind, yet blazing with the warm sun, he looked down at his car. _I need to get a job..._ Took one more look and got in the car. A few blocks, and he arrived to Mama Joy's. It was still early, Mama Joy's was still not crowded as usually, like he remembered.

He waited outside for the food.

It was still early, everyone was still doing their morning errands. He was still thinking heavily in thought, so he never noticed the person who walked passed. Though, the other did. It was a woman, yet not old to be called that, but old enough not to be called a girl either. She had the perfect age. "Ephram?"

He turned to the voice and found..." Madison! Wh-Why are you here. I mean it's not like you can't be here, it is a free world. Of course you can be here, I wasn't implying you can't be here, like you don't have anything to do. Ah--I mean you do have things to do, if you didn't you would be here..."

She smiled. "I get it. I was doing errands. What are you doing here?"

"Just feeding the stomach... and Delia's."

"You were always a good brother, even when if you don't admit it."

A small laugh, "Thanks. Uh-- I was bringing home food, but I could stay if you'll eat with me."

"I would...," she searched for the right words, "like to..."

"What's the problem, quick bite. I'll pay."

"But there's something I have to do," glances at watch, "and if I don't go now I'll be late. Bye Ephram, maybe next time, okay?"

And she began walking away before he said, "Tonight," She turned. "How about tonight, if you're not doing anything." He patiently waited, yet shaking nervously.

"...Okay. Tonight. Eight o'clock and don't be late."

After she left he whispered under his breath, "She said okay..." _What will I wear?_


	2. Dinner Of Five

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

Author's Note: Read & Review. I hate the title... it's so "blah"... I might change it but don't what to.

Chapter Two: Dinner of Five

7:48 p.m. - And still moving.

"No. I have a life dad." Andy and Ephram was in the kitchen when it all started. He was about to leave just when Andy told him he could not. Ephram of course, explained at the words. And thus is how it all started.

"I'll stay home tomorrow and the rest after tonight." Ephram screamed at his dad. He came home earlier today and told him his grandparents was coming today. Apparently Andy didn't know about it and was just informed the day before. They were also coming to their house be themselves, so they could be here any moment. "Why are you telling me this now and not earlier."

"I didn't think you would make plans."

"Well, I did! And going to them! Why does it matter if I stay tonight?" he growled.

"Because your grandpa is going to think the reason your not home is because of me."

"What's wrong with that?"

Andy shocked, had no response, instead said, "You're staying. Reschedule your plans. What's one day later going to make?"

"A lot! Besides, how do you know they won't understand if I'm not here? They spent six weeks with me and got to know me. Grandpa will understand," Ephram looked at his watch and sighed," Sorry I can't continue this bond. I have to go." He was at the door about to open when on the other side the door knocked. In some sense he knew it was, but hoped he was wrong. Slowly, he opened the door revealing the person behind. It was the dreadful grandpa and Nonny. "Ah! Ephram! You've grown over the past month." He laughed.

"I-uh-thank you," They each gave him a warm hug, "I didn't know you were coming."

"We wanted it to be a surprise." From Nonny "Surprise!"

"Where's my little Delia?"

"She's up stairs. Ephram could you go get her."

He sighed, "Yeah sure anything for you," Ephram ran upstairs to Delia room. "Grandpa and Nonny are here. Dad's wants you downstairs." She looked up surprised. "I know. I don't know about it either."

"I wasn't thinking about that," She stood up, ready to leave. Then looked over to her clock it read 7:59p.m. "You're still here."

"Really?"

"I mean you're not suppose to be here. You said you had a date with Madison."

"I do...did. I'm not going. And it's not a date."

"Why? Why aren't you going?"

"Dad told me 15 minutes ago, Nonny and Grandpa is coming tonight. He assumed I didn't have any plans, then just thought it wouldn't matter if he told me the morning, like normal people."

"Dad's not normal...," She shook her head as she spoke, "And Madison?"

"She'll be...not happy at least when I tell her."

"Just go. Grandpa will understand."

He sighed, "I think I'm going to stay...They'll already here. I don't want to be rude."

---

Moments after Ephram had called her and informed her of everything that happened, she felt a stab of disappointment. _Why do I feel like this_ she thought_ It was just dinner with a friend nothing more. _ She sat on the couch of the living all dressed and ready.

She got up, turned the corner to her room, got in and closed the door behind her. And didn't sleep until an hour passed. All night she pondered why she felt disappointed.


	3. Morning Rise

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

Author's Note: Okay okay. So last chap sucked. I know.

---

Groggily Madison turned her head slowly to her side and looked up at the clock. It read: 7: 02. And then to her other side where she saw the outside of her window. _Ugh! The sun isn't even up!_ She moaning she tried to fall back to sleep, but couldn't. Finally giving up, she lazily go up, using all her body strength to get up and move the few steps to the bathroom.

With all her strength she opened her eyes to a woman with messy hair all over her face and her lips were dried. _God! No one wonder Ephram didn't have dinner with me. Look at me! _She gathered cold water in her two palms and splashed her face with a refreshing feeling. Water dripped to the side of face before she wiped it off it off with a towel.

Through her dreams, she somewhat convinced herself it wasn't his grandparents that made him not go. It was her. That possibly Ephram realized it wasn't worth to try being friends with her and didn't even bother trying. _I can't think like that. _ And she'd shook her thoughts away.

When she about to get ready to make breakfast, a knock pounded through her ears like a drum. _Who in the hell does this to people. _She went to room to get a sweater before answering the door. _Why knock quietly when you can wake everyone in the whole damn town up..._ From the little peep hole she looked, a familiar was behind the wall. Without hesitant she opened the door. "Ephram?"

Ephram held up a brown bag to her face, "We didn't get the dinner I hoped for. So I got you an early breakfast. Here."

_So sweet...why?... _She takes the bag and weighs it with her hand, "Do you want to come in. There seems like a lot of food." _I invited him in... good idea?_

"Okay, I wouldn't mind eating the food that I bought," he smiled.

---

"I love Lucy."

"Classic. Lucy does the most stupid things and always gets away with it. We should learn to be like her."

"The stupid things? Or...the could it be the stupid things?"

"Well, she does do stupid things, yes. But under all that, she does it because she loves Ricky."

She laughed. "True. Though everything she does ends up pissing Ricky off."

"That's because he doesn't let her do the things she wants to do."

"You think if he did, nothing would've went wrong."

Ephram laughed. "No."

---

"Angel."

"The show?"

"No, the angel of death who takes your soul away."

She ignores his comment, "The dashing vampire with a soul. And lives in L.A. Who doesn't love it?

"Dashing? You are old."

"I am--" Points are her face. "Do you see these wrinkles."

"Yeah I do." She hits him. "What? Was I suppose to lie?"

"Exactly."

---

"Sandwich."

"The classic invention. Who would have thought putting food between two slices of bread makes the perfect... everything.

"Hah! Yes. The man was a genius. I wonder when he invented 'the sandwich'."

"Maybe during lunch time."

Ephram's stomach grumbles, "All this talk of food is making me hungry."

"We just finished eating pancakes... and eggs."

"Alright. I'll eat later, "he said. "Do you wanna have lunch with me? We already ate breakfast together. Might as well do lunch too."

She thought for a moment. "Well okay. But since you bought breakfast. I'll make lunch."

"That's good with me. As long as it won't be like my dad's cooking."

She laughed. "I'm sure it won't."

_Breakfast and lunch. Slow down Madison._


End file.
